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Old 07-26-2007, 06:25 PM
 
Location: Missouri
6,044 posts, read 24,023,003 times
Reputation: 5182

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We interviewed recently at work for a position in my department, and I googled the names of the people we interviewed. Nothing came up, but if something questionable had, it could have affected our decision. If you don't want a company or school to know certain things about your habits, then don't put your business where everyone can see it.
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Old 07-26-2007, 09:45 PM
 
186 posts, read 350,827 times
Reputation: 123
Quote:
Originally Posted by Terrapin2212 View Post
I'm currently applying to pharmacy school and also to a job as a pharmacy technician. And my little cousin is almost applying to college.

Many of my friends have brought up concerns about potential employers or professional school admissions looking into candidates' Facebook profiles or Myspace profiles. Truth is, if anyone saw my profile, or my cousin's, or any of my friends' they would definitely not like us, especially since admissions committees are 50 year old guys with little sense of humor, same with many (though not all) employers.

My profile reflects my social life and my politics. There are manyt pictures of me drinking and partying with friends at parties, bars, tailgating at football games, etc. This is what everyone in college does but our generation is different from the older ones and they might not view these things the same way. And no, I don't use any drugs and I don't smoke. Also you can express your politics in yoru profile....I didn't do too much of that but I'm in members of groups supporting Rudy Giuliani for President and opposing affirmative action, illegal immigration, supporting increased border control and supporting our military. I also wrote something about "anchor babies" and "border jumpers" on my profile which may offend some people. (no these are NOT racist terms...I don't have anything against Mexico or Mexicans but if you are an illegal you better get the hell out of my country).

Is is legal or appropriate for admissions or employers to look at people's profiles on these sites. If any of ya'll are in a management position anywhere, do you look at your employees when you are thining about promoting them or potential employees profiles because to be dead honest they're a lot more honest than whatever a person says at an interview.

I know people who are not on Facebook because they fear this kind of situation. At my college and many others all over America, the campus police used Facebook to find out about parties and then bust them and people have lost housing because their pictures have shown them smoking weed in their rooms. Should I block everyone except people on my friends list from viewing my Facebook?
ADVICE: Replace the pictures of you drinking and hating illegals with pictures of you studying, visiting museums, and hugging a mexican.
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Old 07-27-2007, 10:05 AM
 
2,356 posts, read 3,448,949 times
Reputation: 864
Quote:
Originally Posted by Padgett2 View Post
hmmmm, and you really, really don't think that an outsider can access your account?
No, I really really don't think that an outsider can access my facebook account.

Quote:
I don't think that anyone would go to the trouble, but if someone can access the pentagon, or your local bank or a dozen or so other stores, credit card companies or whatever, what makes you think they can't trace your account back to your own computer regardless of what nickname you use?
Come on. Seriously.

I'll take my chances that the "someone" who can break into the Pentagon (probably 1 in 200 million) isn't the "someone" who works in Human Resources and looking at my resume.

They'll probably Google my name, and see what comes up. Even then, there are about 10 people I know of who have my same name. Facebook accounts aren't indexed by Google. Myspace is slightly less private, but I don't have an account.
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Old 07-27-2007, 10:50 AM
 
Location: Wellsburg, WV
3,252 posts, read 9,152,732 times
Reputation: 3559
Quote:
Facebook accounts aren't indexed by Google
No, but they are NOT protected by the Patriot Act.

www.uttyler.edu/careerservices/documents/SocialNetworkingSitesandtheJobSearch.ppt

You are not safe from that. Get rid of the account, NOW. If you are smart, you will get rid of both the Myspace AND Facebook accounts. OR revamp your entire account to a much more professional look. One that bores the heck out of your friends but will impress your prospective employers. Liz
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Old 07-27-2007, 10:54 PM
 
Location: Vero Beach, Fl
2,976 posts, read 13,338,750 times
Reputation: 2265
How nieve to think that anything on the web is private even what is password protected. Just remember this anyone can be traced.
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Old 07-28-2007, 12:09 AM
 
Location: The Heart of Dixie
10,118 posts, read 15,784,451 times
Reputation: 7088
SouthernLady there's the trade-off. I can make my account look all intellectual but that would just not be me when I'm trying to communicate with friends and all. We're not stiff types....we like to party and have a good time.

I was actually talking to a friend today and he brought up a good point. Maybe your employer is someone who was a frat boy in college and he wants employees that can go to bars and sporting events with him after work....but then you might get some 40 year old Muslim who won't look too kindly on keg stands

I guess the best thing (I'm convinced now) is just to be honest on your profile but keep it private and at least make sure the main picture of you isn't too ridiculous.
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Old 07-29-2007, 10:01 AM
 
2,776 posts, read 3,954,902 times
Reputation: 3049
Quote:
Originally Posted by Terrapin2212 View Post
I can make my account look all intellectual but that would just not be me when I'm trying to communicate with friends and all. We're not stiff types....we like to party and have a good time. Maybe your employer is someone who was a frat boy in college and he wants employees that can go to bars and sporting events with him after work....but then you might get some 40 year old Muslim who won't look too kindly on keg stands
I think you need to open your eyes to one thing which is obvious: in the business world no one wants someone working for them who parties - LOL, especially someone in Life Sciences/Pharmaceuticals. You want sharp, hard-working, ethical, and intellectual people. Those employees will make you the most money and best represent your company in front of the customer.

If you want to continue your unintellectual internet fun and to demonstrate a lack of professional and conservative judgement - do it under another name if you're going to do it at all.
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Old 07-29-2007, 10:55 AM
 
Location: Wellsburg, WV
3,252 posts, read 9,152,732 times
Reputation: 3559
Quote:
Maybe your employer is someone who was a frat boy in college and he wants employees that can go to bars and sporting events with him after work
Maybe your future employer WAS a frat boy or girl but the thing is, there is no proof of it ONLINE for all to see. Twenty-thirty years ago, no one had the opportunity to post all this on the internet.

And to be brutally honest, most of us in our 40's and 50's have grown up and don't do that type thing any longer. If we are going to bars and parties, it's corporate type events and you sure as heck don't want to be drinking there, not much beyond the obligatory social one drink. Too easy to be labeled a risk and watched to see if they need to let you go.

Quote:
but then you might get some 40 year old Muslim who won't look too kindly on keg stands
Now that's just downright racist.

What if your future employer is a Christian who just does not believe in drinking?

Or someone who has been affected by a drunk? Or a member of AA?

There is more than one reason to be careful.

I realize that at 20-25, it is very hard to understand what employers in their 40's, 50's and even 60's look for but drinking and partying is not high on their list. Good work habits are.

Quote:
make sure the main picture of you isn't too ridiculous.
I would make THAT picture look as professional as possible. Liz
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Old 07-29-2007, 10:58 AM
 
7,099 posts, read 27,107,076 times
Reputation: 7452
I just have to tell you a true story. We had a minister in our church whose wife didn't fit in well with the rest of the congregation. No problem, as this happens often. Well, someone found out that she had a daughter that starred in porn films. Still no problem, as we all have relatives that we don't want to talk about. She even visited her mother once and was introduced around. Still no problem, as while everyone was talking about her, no one really cared what the woman did. There was no doubt that she had the looks and body to make a bundle of $$$$ on porn and whatever else she wanted to sell.

THEN, someone came across the Daughter's website that advertized some of her work.. In her bio, she happened to mention that her MOTHER wrote many of the scripts for her movies.

Now, you can imagine how that one little, tiny line upset the congregation.

You just don't know who is going to find your postings and put two and two together.
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Old 07-29-2007, 07:10 PM
 
Location: Maple Valley, WA
982 posts, read 3,298,932 times
Reputation: 451
I was a pharmacy tech for ten years. I've worked in both retail and hospital settings, and I've NEVER heard of that kind of 'background check' for techs. They would be much more concerned with a criminal background check than a myspace page. And if you're applying for pharmacy school, you're golden.

As for pharmacy school, admissions committees have too many applications to go through to be that thorough. As long as you meet the required GPA, they rely most heavily on your PCAT score and personal interview. Again, they would be most concerned about a criminal background check, and that's probably as far as they would go. The same is true for employment. Pharmacists are in such high demand, employers put up with a LOT. As long as you have a license, don't have a DUI or possessions charge, have a degree and a pulse, you shouldn't worry about them checking an old myspace page.

Block the page if it will make you feel more comfortable, but I really don't think they'll go any deeper than what's on paper or your interview.
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